This is the last post about Land’s End swimsuits, I swear

Just so you know, I stopped over at the Sear’s near me this weekend just to see if they had that cute little jacket I really want need. And lo and behold, there was a huge Land’s End section. I don’t usually shop at Sear’s. I just have too many favorite shops, it’s never really made the cut. Furthermore, they still had bathing suits. I assumed that noone would still be carrying any, hence the catalog shopping. Although it was kinda a sparse collection left. Really big or really small, not many matching sets. But I found one top and one bottom (a skirt I had been wanting) that fit great and bought them. For $24. Awesome. I decided I would return the $80 one that I felt less than stellar in. (Very cute, but not flattering.) And with those savings, guess what I treated myself to? A new cute little winter coat.

Award-winning bumble bee

Friday night we (sister, SIL, Steve and four kids) went to the It’s Playtime Halloween party. It was packed with noisy kids dressed in costumes running around like crazy. Ella was so excited, she followed the pack of kids up and down the slides. Except she couldn’t go quite as fast, so sometimes she really held up the line. She was so cute with her little tutu bottom up in the air going up the steps. Then she would get to the top and bigger kids would just zoom by her. She nervously stood back and waited until the time was right. I didn’t know whether I should be nervous for her or just glad she was handling it well.

By the end of the night though she had found a friend. This little girl, Emma, who was 4 I think, was dressed as a little ’50s girl complete with poodle skirt and saddle shoes. She and Ella walked everywhere holding hands. I can’t believe I didn’t have my camera. Eventually Emma’s little sister, Evie, joined the duo and the three walked around holding hands. How adorable.

There was also a reptile show. In typical London fashion, my little neice sat right up front. She’s always at the heart of the action. Ella sat further back with me and held her hands out yelling “please! please!” She wanted to hold every animal.

At the end of the night one of the employees handed me a free admission ticket because Ella had won the cutest costume contest.

And my husband won a free 30 minute massage (which I have a feeling he may give to me) and my sister won 6 free kids’ meals at Moe’s Southwest Grill (which we used for the kids on Saturday – thanks, Sara). So, yeah, good party.

Can you really argue with those judges?

Brrrrrrrrr

Cold weather is HERE. And although I’m still not ready to admit to myself I need to wear my winter coat already, Ella is ready.

Last night we went outside to play and I put her winter coat, hat and gloves on. Boy am I glad she likes putting them on. Last year she always fought me on it. But now, she even likes to put her mittens on. That’s going to make mornings easier.

She’s also doing really good with teeth brushing too. I did have to tell her this morning though she couldn’t have a snack though until she brushed – but she opened her mouth right up then. She even lets me get her dressed easily again. One of the good things about kids is that most things are a phase.

Anyway, I received my Land’s End bathing suits. Love the brown one. Very slimming. The red one is really cute too. Not quite as slimming, but I guess they’re not miracle workers. I really need to work out more. I’ve started going more consistently this week. Maybe my swimsuits will give me a little more motivation. And after all the contemplating over purchasing the swimsuits, Antique Mommy just posted a really cute winter coat here. And I need a winter coat! Seriously. I have a nice work coat, but not a casual one. It’s pretty reasonable too … And shouldn’t I be dressed just as nice and warm as Ella? To set a good example?

A productive weekend

Thanks for your comments on the Land’s End suits. I’m so glad to hear people love them. I ordered the one with the racerback, which some of you liked too. I didn’t end up ordering the other top because I realized it was in “rich red” while the bottoms I ordered were “poppy red,” so I thought they might clash. I found another suit, which I got in brown. It really didn’t come in colors I was crazy about. Also, it has rouching, which I’ve learned is a girl’s friend. And it was on sale.

P.S. I wanted to order like 10 suits. They have so many cute ones.

Another update: After a million trips to Lowe’s, we’ve finally replaced our front lights in which the neighbor broke one of. We went back on forth on what to get. We finally decided since we’re trying to pay off our cars, we would just replace the one. Then we couldn’t find the exact light anywhere. So we bought some other inexpensive ones, then learned the bases weren’t big enough to cover the holes. So we bought the ones we really liked, got home and one was broken! Ugh. I shouldn’t complain. Steve did most of the running around and all of the installation. Thanks babe! …  And they look really good.

We did do more than just purchase things this weekend though. We (Steve, me, sister, mom, SIL) took all the kids to the Great Zoo Halloween night: Ella’s first trick or treating adventure. She LOVED it. She ran around like crazy. And her costume was a hit. She was a little bumble bee. Here she is with her cousins and walking with daddy. I had black socks and shoes for her, but of course we lost a sock and her shoes were too small. But I think the pink shoes still looked cute …